Convertible closet and dressing room



Sept. 27, 1955 R. PATTERSON 2,713,672

CONVERTIBLE CLOSET AND DRESSING ROOM Filed Feb. 4, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 S (.7 N JNVENTOR.

ROBERT 1.. PATTERSON jkwam AGE/VT FIG.

FIG. 2

p 7, 1955 R, 1... PATTERSON CONVERTIBLE CLOSET AND DRESSING ROOM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1950 IN VEN TOR. ROBERT L. PA TTERSON AGE/VT R. L. PATTERSON CONVERTIBLE CLOSET AND DRESSING ROOM Sept. 27, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 4, 1950 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. PATTERSON AGENT United States Patent CONVERTIBLE. CLOSET AND DRESSING ROOM Robert L. Patterson, El Cajon, Calif., assignor to Ray A. Patterson, El Cajon, Calif.

Application February 4, 1950, Serial No. 142,462

6 Claims. (Cl. 201.11)

My invention relates to a convertible closet and dressingv room, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a convertible closet of this class in which a pair of closet shelf sections are pivotally mounted within a rectangular area, and which occupy two corners of the rectangular area when in different positions substantially ninety degrees from each other, providing a space between saidcloset shelf sections when in open position, which may be used as a dressing room;

Second, to provide a convertible closet and dressing room of this class having novel means for maintaining a rectangular shaped closet shelf section in a rectangular corner. when pivoted in two positions ninety degrees from each other;

Third, to provide a convertible closet of this class in which the pivoted closet shelf sections are readily and easily movable with a minimum amount of manual effort;

Fourth, to provide a convertible closet and dressing room of this class which may be produced as a production unit and installed. in homes after all of the carpentry and finish work has been completed;

Fifth, to provide a convertible closet and dressing room of this class which is very simple and easy to install in a rectangular space provided therefor;

Sixth, to provide a convertible closet and dressing room of this class having novel hinge means for superimposed pivoted receptacles of said convertible closet;

Seventh, to provide a convertible closet and dressing room of this class which greatly adds to the wardrobe conveniences of a bedroom or the like, rendering the space more useful and which provides for compact storage of clothing and other personal effects; and

Eighth, to, provide a convertible closet and dressing room of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, eflicient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of my convertible closet and dressing room; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of my convertible closet and dressing room, showing the closet shelf section in open position; Fig. 3 is an isometric view of one of the closet shelf sections of my convertible closet and dressing room, showing portions thereof broken away and in section, to amplify the illustration; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view, taken from the line 4-4 of Fig; 3, showing varying' positions of one of the closet shelf sections of my convertible closet and dressing room by dash lines;,Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 5" -5 of Fig. 3, showing the structure on enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from ice the. line 6.6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, takenfrom the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional. view, taken from the line 88 of'Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;, Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 10.10 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 11-11 of Fig. 3', showing the link controls of one of the closet shelf sections of my convertible closet and dressing room.

Similar characters. of reference refer tov similar parts and portions throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

The closet shelf sectionsv 1 and 2, floor 3, ceiling 4, seat 5, mirror 6, walls. 7, 8 and 9, tracks 10'and11, track aligning. rollers 12 and 13, thrust. bearing 14, track supporting rollers 15 and 16, closet pivot roller 17, roller connecting plates 18 and 19, control links 20. and 21, link bearings 22, 23, 2'4, 25,. 26, 27, 28 and 29, closet clothes rod 30, pivoted receptacles 3 1, hinge pin 32, bearing plates 33and 34, bearing bracket 35, and the bearing supports 36. and 37, constitute the principal parts and portions. of my convertible closet and dressing room.

My convertible closet and dressing room is composed of three walls, 7, 8 and 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, and the pivoted closet shelf sections 1 and 2, together with the. seat 5 and the mirror 6. The closet shelf sections 1 and 2 are similar, except that they are rightv and left hand pivoted shelf sections. For the purpose of mechanical disclosure, the closet shelf section 1 will be hereinafter described in detail.

This-closet shelf section 1 is. provided with a floor portion 1a and a roof portion 15. Intermediate the upper and lower portions. 1b and 1a I have provided a shelf 10, and directly therebelow I have provided a clothes rod 30 for supporting clothes above the floor portion 1a.

Compartments 1d are provided for storing various articles and additional shelves 1e and 1) may be used for storing other articles, as desired. I have also provided a plurality of pivoted receptacles 31, which are box-shaped structures, all pivoted together and supported by bearing brackets 35, through which pins 32 extend, as shown. in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The pins 32 extend into adjacent superimposed pivoted receptacles 31 at their adjacent upper and lower portions, and the cup-shaped bearing plates. 33 and 34', as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, are provided with. central openings therein, through which the pin 32 extends. This pin also extends through the bracket 35, which is fixed to the front wall panel 1g of the closet shelf section 1. It will be noted that the cup-shaped bearing. plates 33 and 34, at their open ends, are slightly embedded in the structure of the pivoted receptacles- 31, which are preferably made of wood or other similar material. These bearing plates 33 and 34 carry the thrust load. of the pivoted receptacles; 31,, axially of the pin 32. This hinge arrangement provides a very neat arrangement and one which is very simple to construct.

Fixed to the frame portion 1h of the closet shelf section 1, near the plane of the roof portion 1b, is the cupshaped bearing 25, as shown in Fig. 11 of. the drawings. Engaging this. cup-shaped bearing 25 is aspheroid bearing 24 fixed to one end of the link. 20, which is provided with a cup-shaped bearing 23 at its opposite end, engaging the spheroid bearing 22, which is secured to the ceiling 4, which is a conventional building room ceiling. The bearing, 36, fixed to the ceiling 4, extends downwardl'y and laterally into engaged relation with the cupshaped bearing 23' at its axis for holding the same upwardly in engagement with. the spheroid portion 22a. of the bearing 22.

Fixed to. the lower frame portion 1k of the closet shelf section 1, adjacent the floor 1a thereof, is the spheroid bearing 26, engaged by the cup-shaped bearing 27, fixed to one end of the link 21, which is provided with a spheroid bearing 28 at its opposite end, engaged in the cup-shaped bearing 29, which is supported in the floor 3, which is the floor of the conventional building room in which my convertible closet and dressing room is installed. Secured to the floor 1a of the closet shelf section 1 is a thrust bearing 14, which is supported by an inverted channel-shaped track 10, which rests on the rollers 15 and 16. These rollers 15 and 16 are provided with axles 15a and 16a, which extend through the roller connecting plates 18 and 19 on opposite sides thereof, which are disposed outwardly of the channel track and the similar opposed channel track 11, which is fixed to the building room floor 3.

It will be here noted that each of the axles a and 16a is provided with a surrounding bearing sleeve spacer 15b, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, which is slightly longer than the respective roller 15 and serves as a spacer for the plates 18 and 19, so that the roller 15 may turn freely without frictionally binding on the plates 18 and 19.

Fixed to one end of the channel track 10 is the closet pivot roller 17, which engages the lower side of the closet shelf section floor 101 at the periphery of the roller 17. This roller 17 is pivoted on the pin 17a, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, and operates in cooperative relation with the thrust bearing 14, which is provided with a vertical axis. The roof portion 1b of the closet shelf section 1 is provided with a bearing 38, which is in axial alignment with the thrust bearing 14 on the fioor plate 1a of said closet section 1. The bearing 38 is mounted in the channel 39, which forms a track therefor, and which is secured to the ceiling 4 about said closet shelf section in parallel relationship to the channel track 10 and the channel track 11, in which the rollers 15 and 16 are engaged.

These channel tracks 10 and 11 are maintained in parallel relationship to each other by means of the rollers 15 and 16, and also by the track-aligning rollers 12 and 13, which are supported on stationary posts 13a and 14a, respectively, which are secured to the channel track 11. The rollers 12 and 13, pivoted on a vertical axis, engage the inner sides of the inverted channel track 10, and maintain the same in alignment with the channel track 11.

It will be here noted that the channel tracks 10 and 11 and the track 39, hereinbefore described, are parallel to each other and disposed at substantially forty-five degrees to the walls 7 and 8, and that the pivotal axis of the links and 21, in connection with the ceiling and floor of the building room, is near the corner formed by the intersection of the walls 7 and 8. It will also be noted that the pivotal connection of the bearings and 27, at the upper and lower ends of the closet shelf section 1, are positioned at substantially the middle portion thereof, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The operation of my convertible closet and dressing room is substantially as follows:

When the closet shelf sections 1 and 2 are in closed position, the frontal panels thereof are contiguous at their edges and provide a very neat closure for the space in which the closet shelf sections 1 and 2 are located within the confines of the walls 7, 8 and 9. When it is desired to open the closet shelf sections 1 and 2 and provide a dressing room therebetween, the handles 1j and 2a are pulled outwardly, which causes pivotal movement of the closet shelf sections 1 and 2 into position as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. In the open position, each of the closet shelf sections occupies a contiguous relationship at its rectangular corner to the rectangular corner formed by the building room walls, so that there is a considerable saving of space accomplished by the pivotal control mechanism in connection'with each of the closet shelf sections.

Each of the links 21 and 22 pivots substantially ninety degrees, as indicated by dash lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, while the channel track 10 moves relatively to the stationary track 11 and causes movement of the rollers 15 and 16 from the solid line position to the dash line position during closing movement of the closet shelf sections, and the opposite directional movement of the rollers occurs when opening the closet shelf sections 1 and 2 to the solid line position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

During the pivotal movement of the closet shelf section 1 about the axis of the bearings 38 and 14, the roller 17 is rotated about the axis of the pin 17a and traverses an rcuate path on the lower portion of the fioor 1a of said closet shelf section 1. Similar action takes place in connection with the closet shelf section 2, which employs a similar mechanism.

The rollers 12 and 13, stationarily fixed to the track 11, maintain the track 10 in alignment therewith and carry the lateral thrust load applied to the track 10 by friction of the roller 17 on the lower surface of the floor 1a of the closet shelf section 1. The spheroid shape of the bearings 22, 24, 26 and 28 provides for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, and certain pivotal movement in a vertical plane, which is occasioned by certain slight vertical movement of the closet shelf section 1 when being pivoted from one position to the other, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

It will be noted that the outer end of the closet shelf section 1, shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings, is provided with an angular beveled portion 1m, which is adapted to provide for clearance thereof with the adjacent closet shelf section 2 when being pivoted into closed position, as shown by dash lines A in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It will be here noted that when both the closet shelf sections 1 and 2 are in the open solid line position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, a very spacious dressing room is provided, which is equipped with the mirror 6, placed on the wall 8, and remaining in stationary position thereon. All of the personal etfects of the dressing room are maintained in the various shelves and compartments of the closet shelf sections 1 and 2, and when said sections are closed, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, they present a very neat appearance.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A combination closet and dressing room comprising building structure including a vertical end wall, vertical adjacent walls disposed substantially normal to said end wall, a ceiling and a floor, said walls with the ceiling and floor defining an end portion of a room, a pair of closets, each closet being box-like and having a top panel portion and a bottom panel portion, each closet having a stabilizing link pivoted at one end on said building structure adjacent to the juncture of said end wall and the corresponding adjacent wall, said link having its other end pivoted on said closet, a pair of tracks fixed to said floor and extending outwardly from points adjacent to the junctures of said end wall and the corresponding adjacent walls, and anti-friction support means operatively mounted in said tracks and pivotally connected to the undersides of said bottom panel portions, said closets having in horizontal cross-section longer and shorter sides, whereby said closets may be manually shifted from positions with their longer sides parallel said end wall to positions with their longer sides parallel said adjacent walls to constitute selectively closet structure as such and alternatively a dressing room with the closets at the sides of the dressing room according to the manual positioning of the closets.

2. A combination according to claim 1 and wherein the longitudinal axes of said tracks substantially bisect the included angles between said end wall and the adjacent walls.

3. A combination closet and dressing room comprising building structure including vertical abutting walls, a ceiling, and a floor, said Walls, ceiling and floor defining a corner portion of a room, a box-like closet having a top panel portion and a bottom panel. portion, a stabilizing link pivoted at one end on said building structure adjacent to the juncture of said walls, a track fixed to said floor and extending outwardly from a point adjacent to said juncture, and anti-friction support means operatively mounted on said track and pivotally connected to the underside of said bottom panel portion, said closet ha ing in horizontal cross section a longer and a shorter side, whereby the closet may be manually shifted so that its longer side is parallel to either of said walls.

4. A closet for use with a building structure including vertical abutting walls, with a ceiling and floor defining a corner of a room, said closet being box-like and having a top panel portion and a bottom panel portion, a stabilizing link pivotally connected at one end to said top panel portion and having means at the other end for pivotal connection to building structure, a track having means for rigid securement to a floor, anti-friction support means operatively mounted on said track and pivotally connected to the underside of said bottom panel portion.

5. A closet for use with a building structure including vertical abutting walls, with a ceiling and floor defining a corner of a room, said closet being box-like and having a top panel portion and a bottom panel portion, a stabilizing link pivotally connected at one end to said top panel portion and having means at the other end for pivotal connection to building structure, a track having means for rigid securement to a floor, anti-friction support means operatively mounted on said track and pivotal- 1y connected to the underside of said bottom panel portion, said support means including a second track mounted for movement longitudinally of the first mentioned tracks, track aligning means retaining the tracks in alignment, means to limit said sliding movement, the second track having a pivot bearing whereby said bottom panel portion is pivotally supported.

6. A closet for use with a building structure including vertical abutting walls, with a ceiling and floor defining a corner of a room, said closet being box-like and having a top panel portion and a bottom panel portion, a stabilizing link pivotally connected at one end to said top panel portion and having means at the other end for pivotal connection to building structure, a track having means for rigid securement to a floor, anti-friction support means operatively mounted on said track and pivotally connected to the underside of said bottom panel portion, said support means including a second track mounted for movement longitudinally of the first mentioned tracks, track aligning means retaining the tracks in alignment, means to limit said sliding movement, the second track having a pivot bearing whereby said bottom panel portion is pivotally supported, and an anti-friction roller on said second track and engaging said bottom panel portion to stabilize the closet while being shifted about said pivot bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,044,760 Douglass Nov. 19, 1912 1,086,022 Burns Feb. 3, 1914 1,736,007 Johnston Nov. 19, 1929 1,758,291 McKnew May 13, 1930 2,200,934 Platt et al May 14, 1940 

